ENGLAND hero Gary Lineker has recalled how his performance at the World Cup in 1990 got off to a stinker – after pooing himself on the pitch.
The striker helped the Three Lions reach the semi-final of the tournament in Italy under legendary boss Sir Bobby Robson by scoring four goals.
This was the moment Gary Lineker pooed himself on the pitch
The striker was forced to come off the field after the incidentCredit: PA:Empics Sport
But his tournament has become almost as well remembered for the accident during the opening game.
Lineker had scored against Ireland to set England on their way before disaster struck.
He had suffered bowel issues in the day before the match and despite feeling dodgy on the pitch, refused to tell Robson that he wasn’t well.
It wasn’t until the second half when he tried to stretch for the ball that he lost control on the field.
Speaking on a special episode of Match of the Day, the host recalled: “I’d been ill overnight and it was the opening day of the cup and I’d woken up a few times with diarrhea, etc.
“I didn’t want to tell Bobby Robson because I thought he might leave me out the team, and I wanted to play, as always.
“Anyway, the game started and I was alright then about 20 minutes in I started cramping. Somehow I made it through to half-time and I thought I’d be alright.
I sort of fell to the ground and relaxed for a second and it just went ‘boom’!
Gary Lineker
“We go out for the second half, we’re ten or 15 minutes in and I’m starting to cramp again and I think, ‘Oh, I’m in trouble here’.
“The ball went down the Irish left hand side and I ran across and tried to block something. I sort of fell to the ground and relaxed for a second and it just went ‘boom’.
“It was like, ‘Oh my god’, but it was like everywhere. There’s a bit, if you ever see the footage, where Gary Stevens comes over and asks what’s wrong.
“And I go, ‘I’ve s*** myself’. I just didn’t know what to do. Thank God I had dark blue shorts on that day. I’m shovelling it out and rubbing myself on the grass like a dog.
“It was amazing how much space I found after that though, I was stinking.
“In the end Bobby had to take me off, and I think Steve Bull replaced me and I went to the bench.
Gary Lineker scored four times at Italia 90, including in the opener against IrelandCredit: Getty – Contributor
Gary Lineker tells how he pooed his pants during England v Ireland at Italia ’90 World Cup in History of Football documentary
“Every ground pretty much has the dugouts right next to the tunnel, but on this ground, no, the two dugouts were on the opposite side to the tunnel so I had to go and sit on the bench with all of the subs.
“You could see everyone shuffling away from me whilst I sat on my own feeling sorry for myself.”
Former Everton, Barcelona and Spurs star Lineker went on to shine at the tournament before a heartbreaking penalty shoot-out defeat to West Germany in the semi-final.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
